Solidarity with the Jewish community of Kiev, the victim of anti-Semitic attacks

The Community of Sant'Egidio expresses its solidarity with the Jewish community of Kiev for the attacks on the community members of the RozenbergSynagogue in the neighborhood of Podol that took place on Saturday, 11 January and Saturday 17 January, in consequence of which 26-year-old Gigel ' Verchtajmer and 33-year-old Dov -Ber Glikman were injured.

A serious concern is aroused by such manifestations of anti-Semitism and xenophobia, the diseases that, in the twentieth century, led to the elimination of 6 million Jews in Europe, many of whom lived in Ukraine. Any violence, especially if it is based on national or racial prejudices, can not be justified, and must be removed from society.

On January 27, the whole world remembers the victims of the terrible tragedy of the Shoah. We will also remember the tragedy of babyj Jar, which is not a distant event, but it is the history of our city, whose memory is kept alive each year by the Community of Sant'Egidio with the Jewish Community. There are people living among us who are witnesses, survivors after the mass shootings and persons that saved Jews by risking their own lives. Today, in the twenty-first century, accepting that violence is exercised against persons on grounds of their origin is to forget the memory of the innocent victims and, above all, to deprive ourselves and our children of the future. The memory of the history of our city pushes all of us to be especially careful against a revival of anti-Semitism in any form it takes.

In recent months, there is much talk of the future of Ukraine. But there is no future without memory. And really, as written by a former prisoner of Auschwitz, those who have no memory of the past are destined to repeat it. The memory of the twentieth century generates in us a strong hope that the Kievan will not forget and will not be silent in the face of manifestations of anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination, will not isolate nor despise the Jewish community nor any other national community of our city.

Today, it is not possible to accept manifestations of anti-Semitism in violent or verbal form. Anti-Semitism is a challenge to all Kievan. We can not be silent. All of us Kievans - Jews, Christians, people with other views - must commit ourselves so that our future is based on the rejection of anti-Semitism and any expression of the culture of aggression, hatred and contempt .